The Phantom Stranger

One of my favorite character types in comics is the lone vigilante out to do justice (or just kick butt...whatever is most called for).  Lots of characters fit this description I suppose...Batman being one of the most iconic.  But the formula works in so many different ways.  Conan, Spider-Man, The Punisher...to name a few.  They don't always work alone or completely "off the grid".  But in some cases they do.  In his earliest appearances, the Phantom Stranger was one such character.

The issue I show here is Phantom Stranger #1 from 1969.  I had to re-read the issue to be reminded that the first Silver Age appearance of the Phantom Stranger was actually in issue #80 of  Showcase (January, 1969).  Showcase was published by DC and featured short run stories with new characters in the DC Universe.  In this issue though, the Phantom Stranger just shows up out of nowhere to befuddle and foil criminals.  Not unlike Batman, but with a para-normal twist.  After all, he isn't really alive...not in a physical sense anyway.  His story gets a lot more complicated in future issues, involving more regular assisting characters and an arch nemesis.  Perhaps I will feature some of these magazines in a future post.

Unlike most comic heroes, no origin has ever been recorded for this character.  Theories abound of course.  But I prefer the secrecy...it enhances his persona as...The Phantom Stranger!